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APW involvement in the ECOSOC committee of the United Nations

• New Zealanders at Beijing +10
• Nov 2003 - Overcoming Violence
• Nov 2002 - Preparing for Commission on the Status of Women 2003
• Nov 2002 - Online Discussion on Violence against Women
• Radhika Coomeraswamy on Violence against Women

New Zealanders at Beijing +10

From Margaret Mayman, Convenor, APW ECOSOC committee

Getting back from the Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York the week before Easter has meant that I’m only now coming up for air. However, CSW was even more amazing than usual this year and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, even if it meant that Easter preparations were a little rushed. This year over 6000 NGO (non-governmental organisation) representatives registered for the event, about three times the usual number for a CSW. Many governments sent large delegations that included high-level people such as ministers. This year was special because it marked the ten-year anniversary of the 4^th World Conference for Women that was held in Beijing, China. It was at that meeting that the Association of Presbyterian Women first became involved in supporting women’s human rights on a global scale. The work is as important today as it ever was. It is a core part of our mission as APW. The language of human rights which is used at the United Nations is grounded in the injunctions of scripture that we care for those who are vulnerable and that we ensure that all people have the right to the necessities of life. It is honouring all people created in the image of God and in a world where many women and girls are still treated as less than fully human it is a crucial mission priority.

New Zealand sent a strong contingent of NGO and government representatives to Beijing +10. Jane Prichard and I attended for APW (though Jane was primarily involved in International Council of Women); Janet Heskith and Jenny Te Paa were part of the international Anglican delegation (of over forty women), and Eileen Kelly represented the Family Planning Association. Family Planning has just joined APW as the second NZ NGO to have ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) Consultative Status. The NZ government delegation was headed by the Hon Ruth Dyson, Minister of Women’s Affairs, two officials from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and two advisors, Joy Liddicoat of the Human Rights Commission and Gill Greer of Family Planning. I was very impressed by the calibre of the New Zealanders. The Minister gave an outstanding statement in the opening plenary session advocating for moving forward the agenda for women’s well being globally rather than resiling from it. We New Zealanders felt very proud of our country’s contribution.

Unfortunately, the United States delegation came to CSW with the intent of undermining some of the work that had been achieved at the Beijing Conference. A simple paragraph reaffirming the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action had been circulated before the meeting and we hoped that it would be agreed prior to the event beginning. The US held out against reaffirmation unless it included amendments stating that “there is no international right to abortion” and that Beijing creates “no new human rights.” The first was unnecessary as Beijing only addresses reproductive rights in countries that allow legal abortion and merely requires that services be safe and accessible. The latter relates to ongoing UN discussions about the right to development and sexual rights. Both continue to be addressed at the international level and these discussions should not be circumscribed by CSW. Sadly, the US took on the role of global bully, trying to influence countries which are dependent on international aid to support its position. The strategy was not successful and generated global condemnation. After a week of fraught negotiation, the US backed down and Beijing was finally reaffirmed. While this was a great outcome, it was frustrating that so much time and energy was taken up in negotiating text rather than focusing on the review and implementation of Beijing, which is what most countries and NGOs had hoped to achieve. While there have been many gains, we are operating in a climate in which there are many forces seeking to limit women’s participation in politics, economics and social life. Various forms of fundamentalisms have become a growing concern over the past ten years. Some of the most poignant stories I heard were from women living under Muslim laws and from women describing the devastating affects of the US exported “abstinence only before marriage” programmes to countries with high rates of HIV infection and endemic sexual violence.

As well as the formal programme, there were an amazing array of side events many hosted by NGO groups and caucuses. I spoke on a panel organised by the US Presbyterian Church UN Office on Christian women’s involvement in human rights work along with a woman who runs the gender programme for the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and an Anglican woman from Korea. I was active in the Asia Pacific Caucus and the Ecumenical Women Caucus. Over the two weeks, I attended numerous panels, discussions, and caucus meetings. Reflecting on the meeting, I think it was politically frustrating but personally and interpersonally exhilarating because of the encounters I had with so many wonderful women and men who are working for equality, justice and peace. I look forward to being able to share more of the experience in upcoming issues of Harvest Field and on the APW website. I am also happy to talk to Presbyterial meetings around the country. My thanks to the APW for the amazing opportunity to do this work (and to St Andrew’s on The Terrace which releases me for three weeks each year to go to New York and for subsequent speaking engagements.)

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Nov 2003 - Overcoming Violence

Margaret Mayman is interviewed by Viv Ball

Encouraging countries to look at the root causes of violence and not just treat the symptoms. To do this through education and public awareness campaigns. This, says Margaret Mayman, was the most important thing to come out of the 47th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which she attended as APW representative. Margaret says it became clear how difficult the statistics are on violence globally because people's definition of violence differs so much. There was a call for better international data gathering.

The Commission on the Status of Women looked at two issues - one was about human rights and the elimination of violence -the other was new technology. "It was very intense and ended with the meeting divided after the first couple of days into two streams. I decided I would follow the violence one," Margaret says. She had studied the issue, and the New Zealand government delegation, which she had been invited to be a part of, had more skill in that area also.

"There were some areas that seemed to me to be very easy to agree on, and there were a lot of controversial areas." Delegates were divided into different blocks. New Zealand was in a group called JustCan, which included Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Korea. "Our group was really good and it proposed quite a lot of things that were accepted." Margaret also worked with the NGO (Non Governmental groups) as part of the Human Rights Caucus. Other countries were divided into blocks such as the European Union group, another group which included Islamic countries, and the liberal developing countries.

The feeling of the meeting was that one of the best things that can be done to stop violence against women is to protect women's human rights through CEDAW (The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women), and that countries be encouraged to sign up to the convention. New Zealand has signed it, but a lot of other countries, including the United States (who doesn't want to be told what to do), haven't. "It's a pity because the United States used to be a world leader in that area," Margaret says. Some Islamic countries haven't signed because they really find it difficult to see that women's equality fits within their culture.

Building on the Beijing Declaration

The Commission on the Status of Women is building on the Beijing declaration and the Beijing+5. "Because there was a lot of tension between different groups, a lot of what we ended up doing was going back to Beijing language, bringing it forward again and looking at ways some of the counties could monitor and implement some of the things that they had already agreed to."

"I appreciated the diverse way the Commission looked at the issue of violence," Margaret says. "There was not just a focus on men versus women, but a look at factors that contribute to violence, particularly the socio-economic issues, as well as male attitudes on the way women are valued in their culture. Often women get stuck in situations because of lack of economic autonomy."

Religion is a Stumbling Block

One key contentious issue is the role of religion in violence against women in some cultures where religion is used to justify some violent practises like female mutilation and female infanticide.

In the end it was on this issue that Iran and Pakistan wouldn't agree to the draft conclusions the meeting had worked on. The conclusion was basically that violence against women shouldn't be justified in the name of traditional culture or religion. "I think it was perceived as a slight against the Islamic religion. It was also a reflection of the global situation."

Even though there was not unanimous agreement in the end, Margaret believes the good things that were agreed will have been taken back by each country's delegation. "The main thing is was an emphasis on teaching women about their human rights, and educating men on the implications of violence."

How the Process works

The General Secretary, who is really assisted by the Division on the Advancement of Women, prepares a paper on each of the issues before the meeting. Then the bureau of the CSW produces draft agreed conclusions after a couple of days into the meeting. "At that stage we work on trying to find common language." It was here that common language was found in everything but the section on religion.

Margaret is hopeful the country delegations will have taken back the good stuff that was agreed. That was really an emphasis on teaching women about their human rights. Education is an important aspect of this.

Non Governmental Agencies

There was also a real recognition that governments need to work with non-governmental agencies. "These agencies provide a lot of help and services for women who are the victims of violence. Things like battered women's shelters and rape crises centres are an example." They also have a role to encourage the government to follow some of the things that were decided. And they can educate people, like police and the health system, who are the first point of contact with victims of violence, so that those victims don't get so alienated.

"There was a strong feeling that we need to be pro-active about this - it's not just being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff."

What happens when delegates report back to their governments?

Here in New Zealand, Foreign Affairs reports back to the government. There was a report written that picked up some of the key points and included the draft agreed conclusions. It means that in each country the NGO groups that are working on the issues of violence against women can encourage the Government to follow some of the things that were agreed, such as education about violence, covering gender violence through all levels of society. There can be public awareness campaigns, beginning with early childhood education and going right through to adulthood. "The document we worked on was really about all the factors that cause violence and that's where the economic issues comes into it." Margaret believes you can't say that violence against women and girls doesn't happen in wealthier socio-economic areas, but it just means that women in those situations have more options in taking themselves out of it.

So did Margaret come back thinking positive progress had been made?

She says yes. "It was really helpful to me to be aware of different local programmes NGO women are doing to address violence in some quite conservative cultures, and the ways we can support them. One of the things that I think is important when addressing some of these very sensitive areas, like the religious practices, is not to say 'you are wrong', because that is like imperialism, telling people what to do. " The important thing when addressing these very sensitive areas is to acknowledge the goodness of the culture as a whole, but to try and make a distinction between culture and some traditions. "The women from Kenya were talking about the development of a whole ritual for girls coming of age. Developing a ritual without the violent act."

Organisations working positively

I asked Margaret if she ever got the feeling that in some countries it is a hopeless fight to counter violence against women. She was positive, saying she was able to see and hear of lots of women's organisations doing really good things.

Trafficking

Another thing focused on was the trafficking of women and girls. This doesn't impact hugely in New Zealand, but there is an awareness that this happens in the sex industry. There is also trafficking of women to work in exploitative labour, and the practice of mail order brides. The Commission looked at international agreements that would protect women in these areas. "At the moment the victims get prosecuted and the people that are doing the trafficking disappear into the woodwork." So these new international agreements will encourage states to treat women and girls who are trafficked as victims rather than as criminals. "There are really difficult issues around immigration and people don't want to become a target for traffickers by having soft option immigration."

Information Technology

An interesting area looked at was the use of information technology for third world women to market their indigenous crafts. There were agreed conclusions in this area. They focused on not looking at information technology as an extra for third world women. African women were looking at computer usage to research the market possibilities, and as a result had been able to sell their indigenous crafts beyond their local area into their regional area, and sometimes globally as well. This was done on one computer with Internet access. Just that little bit of technology was making a difference in economic terms.

One could get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things covered and the political implications, but the feeling I got talking to Margaret was really one of hope, because there are many groups of women working hard to make a difference in their own countries.

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Nov 2002 - Preparing for Commission on the Status of Women 2003

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Nov 2002 - Online Discussion on Violence against Women

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Radhika Coomeraswamy on Violence against Women

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